A Jedi's Beginning
by L Moonshade
Summary: How will Jade Bartlet find her way? West WingxBatman Begins, with a smattering of Star Wars. SPOILERS for Batman Begins, through season 3 of West Wing. Sequel to Halloween.
1. Prologue

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Warning: Here be spoilers! If you haven't seen Batman Begins, be warned.

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Disclaimer: Jade Bartlet. That's the only thing about this story I own. Everything else belongs to others, and, boy, am I depressed about that.

**A/N:** Yeah, yeah, I know, other stories. Unfortunately, Jade's gotten kinda pushy and won't leave me alone. So, here's this little thing. Hope you enjoy. 

Prologue

The garden was a spot of beauty in an otherwise harsh environment. Filled with fragrant trees and flowers, shot thorough with a winding, chuckling creek, lined with thick grass, it pleased all the senses, gave one a sense of peace and harmony. It was a place one expected to find tended by Buddhist monks; one would not have been disappointed.

Jade stood at parade rest, eyes closed, trying to meditate, though she was having a difficult time. No one else would have been able to tell, however, as she stood rock still in the manner of the monks who had been teaching her. While her body was still, however, her mind was in a turmoil.

She'd been here at the monastery for months, now, trying to find her way. The year before, she'd been turned into her Halloween costume—a Jedi—by a spell. Once the spell had ended, she'd been left with a connection to the Force, and the Jedi's memories. Little by little, they'd threatened to overwhelm her. She'd still been living at home which, for now, was the White House, and the hustle and bustle of life in DC hadn't allowed her to find the peace she needed to work her problems out. With her parents' permission, if not their understanding, the President's youngest daughter had traveled to Asia to a monastery, hoping to find what she needed there.

Here, Jade had the peace, quiet, and solitude she'd thought she'd need, but it still wasn't working. There was too much worrying her, too much of Jor-Dan Kerr, the Jedi Master she'd become, in her head for her to find her own way. She didn't want this, didn't want the power and responsibility that came with it. Oh, she had at first, but, as time wore on, and she began to lose herself in Jor-Dan…Jade wanted everything to be like it had been.

So, she continued to try meditation, to try to find a way to make it all go away. She wasn't having any luck with the meditation, however, much less denying what she'd been given, and was glad to hear someone coming, hoping for a diversion. The person, a man, Jade guessed, joined her in the clearing, but she didn't move.

"I sense a troubled mind."

His voice was deep with a continental accent. He spoke softly, comfortingly, but Jade detected a hint of menace under the surface. She opened her eyes to see a man what was tall and powerfully built, with short brown hair, moustache and goatee touched with silver. He had an aquiline nose that was slightly misshapen, as if broken and set badly. His eyes caught her attention; blue-gray, they were deep and intense.

"You're very perceptive, Mr…"

"Ducard. My name is simply Ducard. As for perceptive, not in this instance. The monks here told me that Ms Bartlet is not settling into monastic life."

"For quiet men, they talk too much. Well, then, Ducard, what can I do for you?"

"For me? Nothing. However, I speak for Ra's al Ghul. Do you know the name?"

"Not until I came here. They say he's the scourge of the underworld. Some even swear he's immortal."

"Ra's al Ghul uses theatricality and deception as powerful weapons."

"So, 'Ra's al Ghul' is merely a title, not a name."

Ducard inclined his head. "Very perceptive, yourself. Tell me. How does a child of privilege know of a man like that?"

"I listen without appearing to. It's amazing the number and type of people who ignore someone in my position."

"Yes. A shame, really. They are missing out on a very talented woman."

There was just enough edge to his voice to raise Jade's caution. Her head snapped up and Ducard chuckled.

"Yes, we know about your martial arts sessions with Special Agent Butterfield. And the advice you've tried to give."

"What does the current Ra's al Ghul want with me?"

"To teach you to use your talents to the best of your ability. And, to give you new ones." Ducard began walking, motioning for Jade to follow. "You are lost, we know this, too. Perhaps, you wish to be found?"

He stopped. They were at the edge of the temple gardens, where the line of demarcation was clear and there were no trees to block the view of the mountain in the distance.

"On the eastern slopes grows a rare blue flower. Pick one. If you can carry it to the top, perhaps you can find what you are looking for."

"What am I looking for?" Jade murmured to herself.

Ducard leaned close. He smelled of wood, leather, and incense, a pleasant smell, Jade thought.

"Perhaps you are looking for a path, perhaps a purpose. Either one awaits you at the top of that mountain," he whispered into her ear. "_If_ you are brave and strong enough to take it." He stepped away. "Good day, Ms Bartlet," he said, then spun on one heel and left.

"Good day, Ducard," Jade said softly. She shifted back into parade rest, her eyes focused on the mountain in the distance. Suddenly, meditation was coming all too easily.


	2. Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

It hadn't taken Jade long to get the cold weather clothes she'd needed from the monks. It had, however, taken a great deal of trouble to convince them to let her go. They knew who Ducard was and who he worked for, and they weren't willing to let the daughter of such an important person go to Ra's al Ghul's monastery. But, she knew this was what she needed to do and, eventually, talked them into it. She had written a note for the monks to forward to her parents, then left.

Days, weeks, she wasn't sure how long she'd been climbing the mountain, without food or water, but it had long before become a struggle to put one foot in front of another, to haul herself up the steep slope. The bitter cold threatened to kill her, as did the lack of food and water, and the sheer ice threatened to throw her off the mountain. She was her father's daughter, however, proud and stubborn, and not about to give up.

Finally, she reached the top. She crawled to the door of the monastery, using the wood of the sill to pull herself to a standing position, determined not to enter Ra's al Ghul's sanctuary on hands and knees. Once standing, she pounded on the door, which opened for her. She stepped into a low-ceilinged wooden hallway, lit by lamps and lined by thick pillars. It opened into a room with a raised dais at the end. On the dais was a large, throne-like chair and, on the chair, was an Asian man, bald with white moustache and eyebrows, framed in dark robes.

"Ra's al Ghul?" she said hoarsely, moving forward.

Four warriors, dressed in black, swords drawn, emerged out of the shadows, approaching her. Jade paused, slightly hunched over with pain and fatigue, and reached into a pocket to pull out the flower. The men stopped at once.

"Very good."

She didn't have to look to know Ducard had entered, his voice was distinctive. She held out the flower and he took it, putting it into his lapel.

Ra's started talking. After a few words, Ducard began translating.

"Uncertainty has been your guide, but you must now conquer it, or it will bring you to your knees. We will help you find your place, and your purpose. In return, you will aid us, the League of Shadows. And you will be without uncertainty or doubt." Ducard reached up and gently touched the flower. "Are you ready to begin?"

Jade didn't look at the other men, but called on her last reserves of strength and straightened, meeting Ducard's gaze straight on. That was all the answer any of them needed.

The warriors rushed her. She stepped right, in order to meet the one coming from that direction, and landed a kick to the underside of his arm, causing him to lose the sword. She executed a roundhouse that knocked him backwards and onto the floor, then caught the sword, immediately swinging it left, then behind her, blocking shots from those quarters. Then she dropped and spun, sweeping the feet out from under two men. She kicked them, knocking them out, then blocked a shot from the last one standing. Their swords locked and she head-butted him.

She spun, reached out and grabbed, catching Ducard's foot and pulling to bring him down, then put the tip of the sword to his throat.

"I'm ready," she croaked.

Ducard smiled, pushing the sword away. "Very good, indeed," he said, getting to his feet. "I see I was not wrong about you." He gently took the sword out of Jade's hand, passed it to another man. "You've already learned the first lesson; death does not wait for you to be ready. And here, you face Death. You can relax now. It is done, for the moment."

Jade did relax. Her fatigue and lack of sustenance caught up to her, at last, and she collapsed. Ducard caught her, lifted her into his arms, and carried her to a room. She was asleep before he took two steps.

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When Jade woke up, she was completely rested, but starving. She was also not alone. Normally, this would bother her, but she knew who it was sitting near her bedroll, and knew she wasn't in any danger. Not yet, at least.

"Waiting for me?"

"Yes," he said. "It is time for you to eat, now that you have had sleep. Also, there is someone I want you to meet."

Jade sat up. "Who?"

Ducard motioned to a set of clothes that were lying by her feet. "Get dressed. Then, I will take you to see him."

When he didn't move, Jade raised an eyebrow. Ducard chuckled.

"This is my room, not yours. You will be bunking with the other initiates, all men, seeing that you are the first woman ever to have been invited into the League of Shadows." He smiled grimly. "You'd best lose your modesty."

Jade studied Ducard for a long moment. She knew how strictly initiates were controlled and had no concern that they would act inappropriately, but she wasn't quite certain about Ducard. After a moment, though, she saw that he had as tight control over himself as any monk. Without a word, she stood and took off the clothes she'd worn up the mountain, then dressed in the ones that had been left for her. Once she was done, Ducard stood.

"Come," he ordered.

Jade followed him through the hallways, memorizing the twists and turns. After a couple of minutes, she was brought into a nearly empty dining hall. There was only one person there, wolfing down food.

"He arrived only an hour before you did. Bruce."

The man looked up and Jade's eyes widened with recognition. So did his.

"Bruce?" Jade said.

"Jade?" Bruce Wayne asked at the same time.

"That's right, you knew each other as children," Ducard said dryly, not the least bit surprised. "Sit," he ordered, then snapped something in a language Jade didn't know.

She took a seat across the table from Bruce, who smiled warmly, then returned to his food. A bowl of rice and vegetables and a cup of water were set before Jade, who began to sip and eat slowly.

"You want to slow down, Bruce."

He looked up at her. "I'm starving. Aren't you?"

"Yes, but we've been without food too long. It's like a sudden downpour over drought-ridden land; the water just runs off, without soaking in. Continue to eat like that and the food…"

Bruce suddenly looked ill, leaned over, and threw up.

"…will come right back up," Jade finished, not missing a beat.

Ducard laughed. "Perhaps you should listen better, next time.

Bruce glared at Jade. "Know-it-all."

"Not my fault I've got a doctor for a mother. Don't worry, Bruce, I'm still not one to flaunt knowledge I don't have."

Bruce snorted. "Well, I can be thankful for that, at least," he grumbled. But, there was something in his eyes that told Jade he was amused, and happy to see her.

"When you can, try to eat some more, Bruce. You two have the day to rest. Training begins tomorrow." Ducard turned to leave, shooting over his shoulder, "Do try to get along. You will be working together, after all."

They watched Ducard leave, then looked at each other.

"Do you think he can deliver what he's promised?" Bruce asked.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. Why are you, Bruce?"

"What? Here? I'm lost. Ever since my parents died, I've been lost. What about you?"

Jade smiled weakly. "I'm lost, too."

****

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Training was tougher than anything Jade had ever been through. Days were filled with sword work, martial arts training, stealth training, even a small amount of chemistry as they were taught how to make and use the explosive compounds used as both weapon and distraction. Ducard reminded them time after time that deception and trickery were the ninja's primary weapons, and defenses. They trained mostly outside in the harsh climate, sometimes even sleeping out there. Nights were filled with sleep, sometimes interrupted by training drills. Much to Jade's surprise, she managed to do what Ducard had suggested and lost her modesty.

During this time, Jade told no one of her Force sensitive status, didn't even use the Force while training, still trying to deny it. She told both Ducard and Bruce about the Halloween incident, but said only that she'd become a warrior. Her struggle with Jor-Dan's memories, however, was eased. Meditation started coming easier to her during her sword katas, as she found a peace in working with the weapons that she hadn't before. As such, she often went through a kata or two before sleep, examining each of Jor-Dan's memories, then letting it move through her. It wasn't easy, at first, keeping the training and letting the memories go but, as time went on, she got good at it, and more comfortable in her own skin.

Because of her extra work and knowledge, she surpassed Bruce in swordplay and equaled Ducard. She also proved to have a knack for noticing things, for being able to keep an eye on her surroundings as well as her opponent. Ducard often admonished Bruce to follow her example; Bruce consistently forgot to watch the environment.

Bruce, however, never got angry or jealous. He had strength she didn't and, as well as the two of them got along, they worked even better as a team, each learning to cover the others' weaknesses. While Ducard could defeat both Bruce and Jade (though, as time wore on, he had more and more difficulty with Jade), he could never beat the two of them together.

As with climbing the mountain, Jade lost track of time. When she asked Bruce about it, she found him to be as confused as she was. They discussed it long and hard, but couldn't decide if it had been months or years, finally coming to the conclusion that it didn't matter.


	3. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

It was early one morning, before dawn, when Jade rose from sleep, instantly awake, one hand on her sword. After a second's thought she let go, rolling over to face Ducard.

"You woke quickly," he said quietly, standing by her bedroll. "A good trait to have. Get dressed and come with me."

Once dressed, she followed Ducard to the throne room. Ducard took the blue poppy and crushed it with mortar and pestle, then dropped the powder into a brazier. He motioned for Jade to move closer and she obeyed.

"You still have not given up your fears."

Jade's head shot up to meet Ducard's gaze. He chuckled.

"You hide it well, but I know you fear something. Sometimes, you have nightmares. You do not always wake when I am near," he said. Then, he lit the powder in the brazier. "Breathe," he said darkly. "Drink in your fears. You must conquer them, if you are to take the next step."

Jade breathed deeply. It affected her almost at once, causing the world to look askew, causing her greatest fear to surface. That, whatever her destiny was, she would have to face it alone…

An image superimposed itself over the sight of the monastery, an image of the Jedi Council room. Twelve Jedi Masters of various races studied her, eyes boring into her.

"How feel you?" Yoda asked.

What could she say but the truth? "Overwhelmed, Master. And, a little bit afraid."

Yoda sat back, surprised. Mace Windu and Plo Koon glanced at each other.

"You are afraid you will fail?" Mace asked.

She spoke without thinking. "I'm afraid I won't fail." The words surprised no one more than they did her.

Just like that, the image was gone.

"Breathe," Ducard said again, then pulled his mask over his head, motioning for her to do the same. She did, confused, troubled by the odd tilt to the world and the rising of fears she'd pushed deep and refused to confront.

Dozens of ninjas, dressed identically to Jade and Ducard, entered the hall. Ducard reacted quickly, fading into the crowd, losing himself in them.

"Find me," his voice said, coming to Jade from everywhere and nowhere.

She forced herself to move, though she was nearly paralyzed. If she won this little match, she knew, she would have finished her training. What then? A ninja emerged and attacked. Jade barely blocked the strike, pushed the sword away, struck out, herself. But, Ducard was gone again. The ninjas shifted as one and Jade slowly made her way through their ranks.

Another image, this time of the Room of a Thousand Fountains, a giant atrium in the Jedi Temple. Qui-Gon Jinn, Jor-Dan's master, stood before Jade.

"If I succeed here, what next? I'll be the only Jedi on my world. I'll have to create the Order, and I can't do it without help."

Qui-Gon looked at her severely and she knew she'd disappointed him. "If you must create the Order, that is what you will do," he said, turning away. "If you need help, you'll get it. Unless you run from your duty. Your destiny." He moved off and she soon lost him in the growth.

Jade bowed her head, chastised and ashamed, and the image faded away.

"Face your fear," Ducard whispered. Then, he was there again, attacking and gone.

The ninjas moved again. Jade walked through them, looking for Ducard, trying to catch sight of a blue eye or flash of silver hair, something that would give him away.

"You must become an idea, a thought…a wraith…"

Jade caught a glimmer of insight and dodged, thrusting with her sword. Ducard's blade landed on hers with a solid ring of metal on metal. She struck out again, but he'd already disappeared.

"Become one with the darkness. Conquer your fears. Reach out with _all_ your senses…"

Jade had the answer. She slid into a deeper shadow, fading into it, and closed her eyes. Sight would not help her, not when they all looked the same, but she had another talent, one Ducard and Ra's didn't know about, one which she could put to good use. Throughout her time here she'd ignored the Force, fighting whatever it had in store for her. But, Ducard, and Qui-Gon, were right. It was time for Jade to conquer her fear of the future and embrace her destiny.

This time, she was in a hotel room; the sitting room of a suite. Her father was in a chair across from her while she sat in another chair, a sword on her lap.

"Have you used that tonight?"

She met her father's gaze. "Yes. I killed someone with it, Dad, and, I'm going to kill more."

"You sound so…uncaring."

"I will do what I must. They will not stop until either their mission is complete, or they are dead, which forces my hand. After all, I am a Jedi Knight…"

The image faded as Jade calmed her mind, centered herself, and let the Force flow through her. It was like embracing an old friend and being embraced in return. It jumped to her request and her senses opened wide, allowing her to find Ducard's unique signature. He was close, close enough for her to…

She reached out, gave one of the nearby ninjas a slight push with the Force. Nothing too heavy-handed, just enough to make him move. Ducard jumped on it, and the ninja.

"You can give no indication, Jade," he said, disappointment ringing in his voice.

Jade stepped out of the ranks and put her sword to his throat. "I didn't."

Ducard looked over his shoulder, a broad smile on his face. "'Well done," he said.

"Impressive."

They turned to see Ra's looking down at them from the dais. He spoke again, Ducard translating once more.

"Go. Take your place at his right hand, while Bruce is tested," he said, pride shining in his eyes.

Jade suddenly understood, likely more than Ducard wanted her to, but she kept the knowledge off her face. She nodded, then moved to stand next to the throne, watching as two ninjas brought out a large box and put it in front of the dais. Then, the ninjas and Ducard disappeared.

A few minutes later, Ducard returned with Bruce. As he had with Jade's, Ducard took Bruce's poppy and ground then lit it, telling Bruce to breathe in the smoke.

Bruce did. Jade could tell the moment the smoke affected him, through the Force she could feel his confusion and fear. Ducard put on his mask and, after he motioned, Bruce did the same. Then, the ninjas came out, Ducard disappeared, and Bruce waded in, beginning the chase.

"To conquer your fear, you must become fear. You must bask in the fear of other men, and men fear most what they cannot see."

The ninjas shifted and one of them struck out. Bruce spun, parried, but Ducard was gone. It was interesting, Jade thought, watching from this vantage point. She never lost Ducard, but that could be because she could sense him.

"It is not enough to be a man, you have to become the darkness."

The ninjas moved once more and the ninja nearest Bruce turned and slashed. Bruce jumped sideways, rolling through the ninjas. His arm had been hit, there was a tear and the tell-tale red of blood. Not much, but enough to give him away, Jade thought.

"Face your fear…"

The ninjas shifted, leaving the way open to the box. Bruce slowly moved towards it, carefully lifted the lid and looked in. Bats exploded from the box, filling the air. Bruce backed away, crouching, cowering, terrified in a way Jade had never seen him. Ducard leaped at him, but Bruce rolled sideways again, blocking. He turned to face Ducard, but the older man was already gone, lost in the ninjas once more.

Bruce stayed low, even though the bats had cleared from the air, slashing at the arm of one of the ninjas nearest him. The man didn't move and Bruce paused, thinking. Then he sprang into action, moving through the ninjas, staying low and silent, slashing at an arm here or there.

Ducard fell in behind a man with a rip in the sleeve that showed the tell-tale red of blood. Ducard knocked the man to his knees and put his sword to the other man's throat.

"You cannot leave any sign," he said, again disappointed.

"I haven't," Bruce said, coming up behind Ducard, sword at his throat.

Ducard laughed. "I have been deceived twice in one day."

"Well done," Ra's echoed.

Ducard motioned to Jade and she joined him and Bruce. On the dais near the throne was a large brazier filled with glowing coals, a small brand resting on top of them. Next to the brazier sat a large slab of iron, a primitive anvil. Ra's spoke, Ducard translated.

"We have purged your fear and uncertainty. You are both ready to lead these men, to become members of the League of Shadows. There is one last test."

Ra's barked an order and, a moment later, two prisoners were brought in. They were forced to their knees before the block of iron, heads resting on it. Ra's spoke again.

"These men are criminals. You must now prove your commitment to justice."

Ducard handed each of them a sword. Jade's blood ran cold.

No," Bruce said to Ra's. "I am not an executioner."

"Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share," Ducard said.

"That's why it's so important," Jade said. "It separates us from them."

Ducard turned to her, a look of pain on his face. "Please, think. Do not do this, do not betray us. Do not betray _me_."

Ra's stepped forward and spoke in English. "You cannot lead men unless you are prepared to do what is necessary to defeat evil."

"Where would we be leading these men?"

"Gotham City. As Gotham's favorite son, you will be ideally placed to strike at the heart of criminality. It's time has come. Like Constantinople or Rome before it, it is beyond saving and must be allowed to die…This is the most important function of the League of Shadows. It is one we have performed for centuries. Gotham City must be destroyed." Ra's turned to Jade. "The rest of the world must soon follow. As the American President's daughter, you are perfect to strike against the G8 Summit that is being held in Gotham."

Jade turned to Ducard. "You can't believe this."

"Ra's al Ghul has rescued us from the darkest corners of our own hearts," he said. "All he asks in return is the courage to do what is necessary."

"I'll return to the States, and I'll fight men like this," Jade said, motioning to the men kneeling before them. "But I won't be an executioner."

Ducard's reply was whispered, but no less pain-filled for all that. "Jade, for my sake, if not your own. There is no turning back…"

It was pain Jade felt, both her own and Ducard's. Failure to join the League of Shadows, for whatever reason, was answered with death. She could see it in his eyes, Ducard would kill her if she refused, for all that he wanted her by his side. She raised her sword, Bruce following suit. They glanced at each other, and something passed between them.

"I'm sorry," Jade said, as her blade swung down. It missed both men, however, hitting the hot branding iron and flipping it out of the brazier. Bruce hit it in mid-air with his sword, arcing it high and into the room where the explosives were stored.

"What are you doing?" Ducard yelled in shock.

"What's necessary," Bruce said, as Jade hit Ducard in the head with the flat of her blade.

Ra's had a sword in his hands almost instantly. He thrust and parried, trying to kill the two, but he was no match for Ducard, much less Bruce and Jade. Then, Jade saw something both Bruce and Ra's missed. She landed a kick to Ra's's chest, causing him to stagger, then pulled Bruce out of the way. Three large ceiling beams fell on Ra's, killing him.

"Go!" Bruce yelled. "I've got Ducard!"

Jade acted at once, diving through a window. A moment later Bruce followed, carrying Ducard. He hit the ground hard and the unconscious Ducard went flying. Jade caught him before he could slide down the summit to the cliff's edge.

Together, she and Bruce got Ducard down the mountain to a tiny village two thirds of the way down. They left him there in the villager's care, with a message that they were both alive, then finished their trek down the mountain.


	4. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Bruce and Jade approached the air strip and the private plane that sat on it.

"Yours?" Jade asked Bruce.

"Yes," he said as the door opened. "Need a ride home?"

She smiled. "I'd love one, thanks."

"Master Bruce. Did you really need to go through all this trouble just to find yourself a girl?"

The speaker was an older man with a cockney accent and a happy—and relieved—look on his face. Jade and Bruce both laughed as they climbed the stairs.

"Hello, Alfred," Jade said, giving the butler a kiss on the cheek. "It's so good to see you again."

"And you, Miss Jade. Please, sit. The two of you look exhausted."

Jade sank into a seat, Bruce taking the one next to her. Alfred sat in one of the seats facing them. They remained silent while the plane took off, Jade and Bruce deep in thought, Alfred in deference to their mood. Once they were airborne, Alfred undid his seat belt.

"Something to drink, Master Bruce? Miss Jade?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Alfred," Jade said.

"Water, please."

Alfred left the seat for the area of the plane that housed the food and drink.

"Look, there's a shower in the back, and I asked Alfred to bring some clothes for you. Go clean up."

"No, you first. It's your plane."

"Ladies first."

Jade grinned evilly. "Age before beauty."

Bruce laughed. "We're landing in DC first. Just go."

Jade was grateful for the hot water; she hadn't had any in either monastery. She soaked for a long time, letting the heat sink in and banish any aches and pains. The physical ones, at least; the wounds her heart had suffered would take a longer time to heal. She could have loved Ducard, was beginning to. But, now, knowing what he really felt, what he'd asked of her…She felt pain, betrayal, and was not helped by the knowledge that he felt the same.

After a long while she washed and dried, then got dressed in the clothes Alfred had brought (a smart pant suit that fit rather well), and returned to the cabin.

Bruce smiled warmly. "Feeling better?"

"Physically, yes."

Bruce put a hand on hers. "I'm sorry. The two of you were close, weren't you?"

"No, but we were getting there, I think. I was falling for him." She smiled. "But, I will be all right."

Bruce nodded, pleased. "Good. My turn, then. If you've left any hot water." He winked and went to the shower.

Jade turned to Alfred. "This suit fits well. Thank you."

"You are quite welcome."

"How frantic are my parents?"

"Publicly, at least, they have remained calm. Your note seems to have helped, somewhat. However, their patience, I would imagine, is being sorely tried."

"How long have I been gone?"

"You left the Buddhist monastery just under two years ago."

"Wow. I'm legal."

"Shall I pour you a celebratory drink, then, Miss Jade?" Alfred asked, matching her dry tone, an amused twinkle in his eye.

Jade laughed, she always had enjoyed his humor. "No, thank you. I'd rather not be suffering any diminished capacity when I talk to my parents."

"A wise idea. Would you, then, like a phone, so you may warn them of your imminent arrival?"

"You know, that's not a bad idea."

Alfred handed her a phone. It was answered by Charlie Young, the President's personal assistant, who quickly transferred her to the Oval Office.

"President Bartlet."

"Hi, Dad."

****

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It was late when she got to the White House. Her mother was gone on a trip, though Jade had talked to her by phone. Her father, however, was waiting for her in the cafeteria. She wasn't surprised to see a number of gallons of ice cream around him; when he was extremely troubled, he'd often drag her down for ice cream and a chat.

When he saw her come in he jumped to his feet and rushed over, drawing her into a bear hug. She just stood there, her arms around him, glad to be home. She'd needed the training the League of Shadows had given her, but she needed her family, now.

"So. What kinds did you pull out, this time?"

Jed laughed, drawing her over to the counter and handing her a spoon. "Here. Try this one."

Jade dipped the spoon into the ice cream and took a taste. "Wow, this is good. What is it?"

"Death by chocolate."

"No wonder I like it."

"Why didn't you call and tell us where you were going?"

"Right down to brass tacks, huh, Dad? I didn't have phone access. Besides, I didn't want an argument." She glanced around at the amount of ice cream. "You're not expecting us to eat all this, are you?"

"Do I ever? Why did you go, at all?"

"I wasn't finding what I was looking for. The man who invited me to the other monastery offered me something more, and I felt they could deliver."

"What?"

"A purpose. A reason to be."

"Did you find it there?"

"Not exactly," she said slowly. "But, I'm on the right path. Ooh, mint chocolate chip!"

"I know your favorites. What are your plans, then?"

"I'm hoping to spend some time with my family. Then, I'm not sure. Something'll come up, though, that much I'm confident of."

"Honey, I'm worried. You seem to be even more lost than you were before."

"I know. But, there are things you don't understand about me."

"Then tell me."

Jade paused, studying her father. Could she tell him? Of course, she could tell him everything. But, should she? She looked to the Force for guidance and received it.

"I'm sorry, Dad," she said with a sigh. "It's not time, yet. For the moment, the fewer people who know, the better. Can you just trust, for now, that I really do know what I'm doing?"

Jed studied his daughter. She'd been such a lost little girl when she'd left. Now, though she'd been gone only two years, she'd matured far beyond that, he could see. She was a confident, capable woman, and he nodded, seeing that she really did know what she was doing.

"All right. You can tell me in your own time." He smiled. "Let me tell you what's been happening here…"


	5. Chapter 4

****

Chapter 4

"Come in, Ron," Jade called, even before anyone had knocked.

The door opened and Ron Butterfield, head of the President's security, came in.

"And Xander called _me_ scary," he deadpanned. Then he saw her and stopped dead.

Jade grinned. "That's why I only do it for you, Slick." She cocked her head, suddenly concerned. "Ron? Is something wrong?"

"No, Ma'am. I was just expecting a kid. You're not, anymore."

Ron couldn't believe the change. Gone was the gawky teen with too-long limbs and a bit of remaining baby fat. Now, she was toned, obviously in shape, and dangerous.

The changes weren't only physical, though. Two years ago, he'd been worried about her; dealing with what was, essentially, a split personality hadn't been easy for her. She hadn't been able to talk to anyone but him about it, and he couldn't help her beyond just listening. She'd seemed so much younger than her years and so fragile, and he'd been powerless to do anything about it. It wasn't a feeling he was looking forward to experiencing again.

Now, however, it looked like she'd gotten whatever she'd needed. Jade held herself with an easy confidence and quiet strength, the uncertainty and fear gone. They were in her rooms in the residence, but she wasn't taking it for granted. The look in her eye was one he'd seen many times before when dealing with his fellow agents; while she was looking at him, she was still aware of everything in the room. _Probably the hall, too,_ Ron thought, remembering her connection to the Force.

She smiled. "Thanks for noticing. Please, sit."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Ron said, dropping into a chair. "I've been worried. The last time I saw you, you were in trouble. But, you look like you're doing well."

"I'm great. Look, Ron, I'd love for this to be personal—'Hey, Buddy, good to see you again.' But, there's a threat I need to talk to you about."

Ron had been leaning back in the chair, now he straightened. He hadn't missed the change; the President's youngest daughter was no longer in evidence. Now, she was all Jedi.

"To the President?"

Jade laughed harshly. "Him…And all of humanity. Have you ever heard of the League of Shadows, or Ra's al Ghul?"

Ron snorted. "Of course I have. And the Illumanti, and the Cabal. They don't exist."

"I don't know about the other two, but the League is real, all right. That's where I was. With them, training."

He immediately revised his opinion. If anyone else had told him, he would have taken it with a grain of salt, but this was Jade. "What do they want?"

"Oh, not much. Just to destroy Gotham during the G8."

"Are you sure?"

"They were going to send me and another trainee to Gotham to lead the men. Neither of us liked the idea, so we left, destroying the monastery in the process. The League can't function without Ra's, so it may be that the plan won't be carried out. I'm just not sure he's dead."

"If you and your friend won't lead the assault, then it doesn't matter, does it?"

"If we'd failed our training, we'd be dead. Ra's wasn't relying on us to be ready for this."

"You risked too much, Ma'am," Ron said tightly. If he'd known the danger she'd been in… "Who's your friend?"

Jade cast him a withering gaze. "You don't really expect me to betray a confidence, do you? He's not a threat, Ron, believe me. If he were, he'd be dead."

Ron blinked, startled. He'd known Jade since the campaign, not well until that Halloween, but well enough to know she was a gentle person. To hear those words, spoken as neither brag nor threat, but simple fact, caught him off guard.

"Would he?"

"I'm a Jedi, Ron. I will do what I must."

"You really have changed," he said quietly.

"Yeah," she said wearily. "Disappointed?"

Ron offered her a rare smile. "No, Ma'am. Not in the least."

Jade smiled. "I'm glad. I'd hate for you to be disappointed in me. Ron, I may need help."

He raised an eyebrow. "You?"

"Me." She leaned forward. "There's a man, goes by the name of Ducard. I know he survived; my friend and I saved him. Ducard is _my_ biggest threat."

"Why?"

"He let slip that Ra's is the old-fashioned type, and won't leave the League to a female heir. The problem is, he doesn't have a male one. From the way I was treated, I think Ra's has his eye on me to bear him a son."

The look of anger crossed Ron's face so quickly that Jade almost wasn't sure she'd seen it. "What does that have to do with this Ducard?" he asked, in control once more. "Will he take you back to Ra's?"

"In a manner of speaking. Unless I sorely miss my guess, he _is_ Ra's."

"A good way to protect himself. Hiding in plain sight."

"Trickery and deception are powerful defenses, as he constantly reminded us. He can barely beat me, and my friend'll be there, too, I hope."

"Then, why are you so concerned?"

"I'm not sure if I can kill him. I hope I can, if I have to, but, well, I could have loved him."

Ron closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Jade shrugged. "I won't pretend it doesn't hurt, but I've worked on letting my emotions go. I'll get there eventually, but it may take a while. Love can be a powerful thing."

Ron studied her again. There was a hint of pain in her eyes, but also a resolve. Things were what they were, and she was going to accept that. "I know. And you were worried about disappointing me. You've become stronger than many agents I know."

She smiled. "Thank you. I'm going to Gotham, visit my friend, see if we can coordinate our efforts."

Ron nodded. "Not a bad idea. I'll accept any help the two of you can give." He stood. "I'll make a report. Call it a tip from someone I'm not at liberty to identify, but have the utmost faith in. It is the truth, after all."

Jade got to her feet, as well. "Thanks, Ron, I appreciate your help. And your faith in me."

"We both want the same thing. To protect your father."

"I know. Keep me informed."

"Yes, Ma'am. You do the same." Ron went to the door and opened it, then looked back. "I'm free, tonight. Maybe we could have coffee." He smiled, and Jade was surprised to see a hint of nervousness in the expression. "Maybe do that 'Hey, Buddy, good to see you again.'"

"Meet me at Mom and Dad's rooms at eight, and dress down. After two years with nothing but rags, I'm not interested in spending a lot of time in fancy clothes.

Ron's smile widened, became more confident. "I'll see you then, Ma'am."

Jade watched him go, glad she could still count him as a friend.

****

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You are having dinner with us tonight, right? Your mother and older sister will be here any minute now," Jed said, chopping onions. He and Jade were in the Residence kitchen, making his world-famous (in his eyes, at least) chili.

"Of course I am, which one, they're all older than me, and, is that enough cheese?"

Jed glanced at his daughter's progress. "Good, Zoey, and not nearly."

"Good, we'll be able to eat on time. I'm really tired of shredding this."

"I'll take over, you do the tomatoes."

"Fine. You know, I do wish you weren't doing chili tonight."

Jed frowned. "You like my chili."

"I love your chili," she corrected. "But, I've spent the last two years eating nothing but rice, veggies, and green tea. Chili's gonna be a bit rich, and I'd rather not embarrass myself tonight."

"Oh, hot date? It's about time you started seeing someone."

"No date. I'm having coffee with Ron."

Jed frowned. "You were spending quite a bit of time with him before you left. Is there something I should know about?"

"Dad, it's nothing. After that Halloween, we became friends."

"Nothing happened, though. Right?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." _For Sunnydale, anyway,_ she thought. "One of the girls is a black-belt, and I was inspired. Thought that, maybe, it wouldn't be a bad idea to be able to protect myself. Ron was teaching me, and we became friends. That's it."

"You could certainly have worse friends than Ron."

"Where is she?" The First Lady's voice came floating into the kitchen. "Where's my little girl?"

"We're in here, Abby," Jed called. "I'll finish up. Go see your mother."

"Yes, Dad."

Jade moved towards the den, she and her mother met in the dining room.

"Hi, Mom."

Jade!" Abby pulled her into a hug. "Don't you ever scare us like that again!"

"I'll try not to, Mom," Jade said, rolling her eyes. In the doorway, Zoey was laughing at her. Jade stuck her tongue out at her older sister, who returned the favor.

Abby pulled back, keeping her hands on Jades shoulders. "Let me look at you. My, you've grown up."

"I have."

"Twenty-one. You look older." Abby took Jade's face in her hands. "What happened to you?"

"I found myself."

"It took you two years?"

Jade smiled sadly. "Mom, you have no idea how lost I was."

Abby kissed Jade on the forehead, then let go. "Well, you're home, now. You didn't bring back a boy," she accused.

"Mom, quit trying to marry me off. No, I didn't."

"Two years, and you didn't meet a single…"

"Leave it alone, Abby," Jed said from the kitchen. "And, you can tell the young man you've invited that this is a family dinner."

"Leo _is_ family," Abby shot back. "Don't worry, Jed, I'll wait at least a week before setting her up with anyone."

"Wow, a whole week's reprieve," Jade said dryly, then pushed past her mother. "Hi, Zoey."

The older girl grinned. "You look good," she said as the girls embraced. "You're not ugly anymore."

"Zoey!" Abby scolded.

"Nope. Sure ain't," Jade laughed. "Too bad the same can't be said for you."

"Jade! Can't you girls be nice to each other for a change?"

"Are you kidding, Mom? We are being nice."

There was a knock on the door. "Sir, Ma'am, Mr. McGarry's here," an agent called from the den.

"Let him in!" Jade called, racing into the room.

Leo, the White House Chief of Staff, had barely made it in the door when Jade threw her arms around him.

"Leo! Damn, I missed you."

Leo returned the hug. "I missed you, too, Kiddo." He pulled back, shock showing on his face. "Scratch that nickname. You look great."

"Thanks. Come in, sit down, can I get you something to drink?"

They talked for hours, catching Jade up on the goings on, while the chili simmered. Leo wasn't the only one she saw, though; Josh Lyman, Deputy Chief of Staff, and C. J. Craigg, Press Secretary, both stopped by to visit before they left for the day. It was well after six when Leo lifted his head and sniffed.

"Mr. President, that chili smells delicious."

"Thank you, Leo." Jed turned to Jade. "See? Leo likes my chili."

"That's because he has no taste," Jade shot back. "I still can't believe you dated a lawyer."

"That's all there is in this town, lawyers and politicians. Personally, I'd rather date the lawyer."

"Leo," Abby said, a threatening tone to her voice. "Are you saying I have no taste?"

"No, Ma'am. You married a statesman."

Everyone laughed. "Good save, Leo," Jed said. "Who's ready to eat?"

Everyone moved into the dining room. There was the pot of chili in the center, along with a pitcher of juice; in deference to Leo's status as a recovering alcoholic, they never drank when he was around.

"Usual spot," Jed told Jade. She moved to the chair and stopped; finding a bowl of rice and stir-fried vegetables and a teapot. She smiled, touched.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Any time."

Zoey wrinkled her nose. "And you say Leo has no taste."

"It's all what you're used to, sister mine."

They took their time over dinner, enjoying the food and company. The banter Jade remembered hadn't changed, except to get faster, and she reveled in the battle of wits. She even managed to choke down a bite or three of chili.

After a while, with everyone done, they went back into the den. It was Jed who started the conversation back up.

"By the way," he told Jade. "That boy you liked so much, he came back, too."

"Which boy…? Oh, you mean Bruce Wayne? Yes, I read that."

"Isn't he the one that bought that hotel…?"

"Yes, that's the one. Apparently, whatever he was doing for seven years didn't mature him at all."

"I only bring it up, because he invited your mother and I to his birthday party. With the G8, I can't go. I was hoping you would."

"Dad, I wanted to go!" Zoey said.

"You've got tests, Dear," Abby said.

"Sure, I'll go." Jade looked at her mother. "Dad said he couldn't go. You?"

"I'll be there."

Jade nodded. She didn't like the answer, but she'd expected it. "We'll have fun," she said, smiling.

There was a knock on the door and an agent looked in. "Sir, Special Agent Butterfield is here."

"Oh, it's eight already? Tell him I'll be right there, Carl."

The agent smiled, pleased that Jade had remembered his name. "Yes, Ma'am," he said, then disappeared, shutting the door behind him.

"You have a date with Ron?" Leo asked.

Jade stood. "No date, Leo, just friends catching up." She hugged him. "Thanks for coming. It was so good to see you again."

Leo returned the hug. "And you. I'm glad you're doing well."

"Have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Zoey told Jade as she headed for the door.

"Well, doesn't that just narrow it down?" she said sarcastically, then stepped into the hall.

"I'm here," she told Ron, eyeing him critically. "You know, I think this is the first time I've ever seen you in something besides a suit."

Ron was in cowboy boots, tight jeans, and a muscle shirt, his only deference to the heat. He shrugged. "You've never seen me off duty, before. Goodnight, Mike, Carl."

"Good night, Ron, Ma'am."

"I want to stop by Toby's office. He and Sam are working late, and I haven't seen them yet. You're looking at me funny."

"Sorry. It's going to be a while before I stop expecting to see a kid."

"Yeah. Two years is a long time, isn't it?"

"It can be, Ma'am. It can be."

As they approached the communications bullpen, they could see Sam and Toby through the window and open door in Toby's office. Sam was typing furiously while Toby dictated. As he did, Toby was bouncing a rubber ball off the window between his office and Sam's.

"And in conclusion…" Toby stopped when he caught sight of Jade and Ron, subsequently missing the ball, which hit Sam in the head.

"Toby, what the…Oh, my. Ron, please tell me this isn't your little sister, and that you won't beat me up if I ask her out."

"This isn't my little sister, and I won't beat you up if you ask her out. The President, on the other hand…"

As realization dawned, Sam attempted to speak, but didn't succeed. Finally he closed his mouth, swallowed hard, then tried again.

"Toby?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"Shoot me now, before he gets his hands on me."

Jade laughed. "Relax, Sam, I won't tell on you. Hi, Toby."

Toby almost smiled. "Hello, Jade. How are you?"

"Just fine, thanks. Dad keeping you busy?"

"Very. Sam, stop drooling all over the computer and say something."

"Yeah. You look…Uh, where were you? All anyone would say was you were on vacation."

"I was at a monastery on top of a remote mountain in Bhutan, attaining inner peace."

Toby did smile and Sam laughed. "That's funny."

"No shit, there I was."

"You're serious. So, what, you're the Buddha, now?"

"I hope not, or I'll have even more people wanting to kill me than I've already got."

"Ma'am," Ron interjected. "We should go. There's a curfew…"

"I'm old enough to tell Dad what to do with his curfew. Don't work too hard, guys. I'll see you around."

"Good night, Jade," Toby said warmly.

"Yeah. 'Night."

Jade followed Ron to his car. "Was Sam really drooling?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Do I really look that good?"

The insecure little girl was back, just for an instant, something Ron found endearing. As much as he was starting to like the strong woman Jade had become, it was comforting to know she still needed reassurance. On this point, he could certainly offer her that.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Jade smiled. She'd heard it from her family, of course, but that was her family. To get confirmation from Sam, who never drooled over ugly women, and now Ron, who never drooled period…

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Ron opened the car door for her, closed it behind her, then went around to the other side and got in. "Where do you want to go? A bar?"

"If you want, but I'm not going to drink."

"How about Dex's, then? It's quiet, we'll be able to hear each other."

"Sounds good."

Ron pulled out and onto the road. "You've heard about Rosslyn and the MS and his censure?"

"Yeah. Dad and I did a lot of talking last night and today." Her father and Josh had been shot at Rosslyn by white supremacists gunning for Charlie Young, the President's black personal assistant. Later, the fact came out that her father had hid the fact that he had MS and Congress had censured him.

"So you're the reason I couldn't have mint chocolate chip with lunch."

Jade laughed. "Sorry. I'm glad you weren't hurt bad at Rosslyn."

"So am I."

"I also heard about C. J.'s trouble. I'm sorry about your agent, Ron. I know how much you all care for each other."

He nodded. C. J. had been stalked not too long ago. She and the head of her detail, Simon, had become close and, when the stalker was caught, they had planned on dating. Simon had walked in on a robbery in progress, though, and had been shot when he'd tried to stop it. His death was still fairly recent, still hurt everyone who had known him. "He was buying flowers for C. J.," Ron said. "The threat was over, and they were going to start dating. She doesn't know, yet. Maybe someday, but…" He trailed off.

"But it's still too fresh. I could sense it when she was talking about it."

There was a moment of quiet, then Ron shook himself out of bad memories. "What about you? How did you end up with Ra's?"

"I was having no luck at the Buddhist monastery."

"Wasn't it peaceful enough?"

"It was too peaceful. Jedi are diplomats, but we're fighters, too. I didn't have the chance to explore that aspect of it. One day, Ducard showed up and offered me a place in the League, if I could survive."

"I'm glad you did. It couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't. But, I found a way to get rid of Jor-Dan's memories and keep her abilities. That let me survive Ducard's training. The final test, that I only survived by accepting the Force and what it has in store for me."

"What is that?"

Jade shrugged. "I don't know, yet. But, I'm betting it's going to have something to do with creating the Jedi Order."

"Oh. So, no pressure."

Jade laughed. "Nope. Not at all."

Ron pulled into the diner's lot and parked. They went in, found a booth in the back, and ordered, making small talk until it came. Once they had their drinks and the waitress left, Ron became serious.

"Tell me about him."

Jade didn't have to ask who he meant. "Know thy enemy?" she said wryly.

"I like to know the people who are important in the lives of those I care about."

Jade blinked, surprised, then smiled. "That's nice to know," she said, then sobered. With a sigh, she began telling Ron about Ducard.

Two hours later, they had left business and bad loves far behind, and were exchanging stories of the staffers. Ron was walking Jade to her rooms as both stifled laughter.

"Oh, Force, I wish I could have been there," Jade gasped, stopping at her door.

"You would have loved it," Ron said, a grin still on his face.

"I'm sure. I'm glad we got a chance to talk tonight."

"So am I. I wanted to help you more than I could…"

She reached out and touched his hand. "You helped me tonight. Talking helped me let him go." She pulled back with a grin. "Should we resume our weekly matches?"

"Do I have any hope of winning?"

Jade's grin widened. "You kidding? Not a snowball's chance in Hell."

"Sounds like a challenge. We'll pick it up after we get back from Gotham."

"Sounds good. Night, Ron. Thanks for a great evening."

"Anytime, Ma'am."

Ron waited until she was inside before leaving. It wasn't necessary, but he wanted to be sure.

Jade slept fitfully that night, her dreams filled with Ducard, Ron, Bruce, and giant bats.


	6. Chapter 5

****

Chapter 5

Jade and her mother sat in silence as the limo drove up to the mansion. Abby had tried to talk, but Jade was too deep in thought to do more than grunt; she had a lot to ponder. Bruce Wayne was rapidly becoming a joke, known for blunders and faux pas galore. Jade wouldn't have understood, knowing he wasn't truly like that, but the news stories about a vigilante dressed as a bat explained it all. She was also concerned that she'd learned nothing about Ra's and his plans. She knew he was here, knew he was getting closer, knew he would show himself, and soon, and had wanted some idea of what he was up to before that happened. Then, there was Ron's presence here, though she'd told him she wanted him to stay with her father…

"You're in a brown study, tonight."

Jade shook herself and smiled at Abby. "Sorry, Mom. Enlightenment isn't easy to maintain."

Abby smiled in return. "It's okay. Just, try to have fun. You're so serious, anymore. Ah, we're here."

She and Jade got out of the limo, followed by their agents. Ron touched Jade's arm. "Ma'am," he said, indicating a need to talk.

She paused, letting Abby and Brad get ahead of them. "What?"

"I know you're mad…"

"Mad doesn't cover it."

"…and I'd like to explain. I'm here because Ra's will be here." Only years of practice and supreme self-control kept him from laughing at the look of utter shock on Jade's face. "You, Bruce Wayne, and this Batman character all showed up within days of each other. That's quite a coincidence."

Jade shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "I should have known you'd figure it out. So, you're here to capture him…"

It was Ron's turn to be angry. He didn't let it show on his face, but some of it crept into his voice. "I'm here, _Ma'am_, because I can't explain the situation to anyone else without breaking confidence. You asked for help dealing with Ra's, Ducard, whatever, and I'm here to make sure you get it." His face softened, the composure cracking for just an instant, his concern for her showing through. "I'm not letting him have you. Or kill you."

Jade sighed, letting go of her emotions. It was something she was still working on, especially where her family was concerned. "I'm sorry, Ron, I shouldn't have doubted you. Thank you."

Ron nodded, back in control. "You're welcome."

"Jade!"

"Coming, Mom. Just a last minute thing." Jade gave Ron a warm smile, then made her way to the mansion's front door, where the butler was greeting the guests.

"Alfred, hello. It's been too long."

"Indeed it has, Miss Jade," Alfred said, smiling warmly. "I was expecting a child of seven. No longer, I see."

"No longer," Jade said, smiling at his performance.

Once inside, Jade and Abby split up. Jade mingled as she waited for Bruce to arrive, knowing how to schmooze from a life in politics. Eventually, she found her way to the back of the room, snacks, and the side of a tall, older black gentleman with silver hair. She'd been through the whole room and spotted twelve men who belonged to the League, pointing all of them out to Ron.

"Ms. Bartlet, isn't it?"

She turned to the man and offered a warm smile.

"Yes, it is," She said holding out a hand. "And I have the pleasure of speaking to…?"

The man took her hand. "Lucius Fox, Ma'am. I'm a big fan of your father's."

"I'll tell him. He never tires of hearing that he has fans."

He laughed and responded, but it was lost in a sudden burst of "Happy Birthday" from both band and guests. Bruce quickly made his way through the room to Lucius and Jade.

"Jade, thank you for coming," he said warmly, giving her a peck on the cheek. "You look beautiful." He turned and shook Lucius's hand. "And you. Thank you for that…special present."

The old man glanced at Jade. "I'm sure you'll find a use for it."

"Already have. How long to manufacture it on a large scale?"

"Weeks. Why?"

"Someone's planning…"

"Mr. Wayne?" Lucius interrupted, glancing at Jade and Ron.

"She's involved…" Bruce said slowly, glancing questioningly at Ron.

"This is Ron Butterfield, my protection for the evening. Ron knows everything, even a thing or two I didn't tell him. He's pretty quick on the uptake, and he knows where I spent my…vacation."

Bruce spared Ron a nod, then continued. "Here's the situation. The poppy's been weaponized into an aerosol form. The present I thanked Lucius for is an antidote-slash-inoculation."

Jade laughed, the men joining her. _Trickery and deception,_ she thought.

"What's the poppy?" Ron asked.

"When crushed and lit, the smoke is a fairly powerful hallucinogenic."

"They're planning on dispersing it using the water supply," Bruce finished.

"That won't help them with an inhalant," Ron said.

Lucius let out a loud boom of laugher. "Unless you have access to a microwave emitter. Like the one Wayne Enterprises misplaced."

"Misplaced?" Jade and Bruce said at the same time.

"Earle just fired me for asking too many questions."

"Lucius, I need you to go back and start making more of the antidote. With the G8 Summit here, we're going to need a lot of it."

"My security access had been revoked."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "That wouldn't stop a man like you, now, would it?"

Lucius smiled broadly. "No, it probably wouldn't. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms Bartlet."

"And you, Mr. Fox."

Lucius left. Bruce started to say something, but paused, taking on a mildly vacant expression. A moment later, they were greeted by a broadly built man with a predatory look to his eye.

"Happy birthday, Bruce."

"Thank you, Mr. Earle. May I introduce Jade Bartlet?"

"A pleasure," Earle said dismissively.

"Likewise," Jade said, never dispensing with good manners.

"I was going to ask something…Oh, yes. How well did the stock offering go?"

"Very well. The price soared."

"Who bought?" Jade asked.

Earle turned a politely condescending gaze on her. "Oh, various charitable foundations, trusts, and so forth. It's all a bit technical."

He left it unsaid, but both Jade and Bruce heard Earle's next sentence: "Nothing a woman would understand."

Earle turned back to Bruce. "The important thing is, our company's future is secure."

"Hey, that's great!" Bruce said. "You have a good time, Mr. Earle."

"I'm sure I will. Bruce. Ms Bartlet."

They watched him walk off.

"How many shares did you buy?" Jade asked.

"Fifty-seven percent. You?"

"Thirty-eight. Motion to fire the sanctimonious little prick. All in favor?"

"Aye. Motion carried."

"Five percent."

Bruce and Jade turned to Ron, stunned. He shrugged.

"It was all I could afford, but it's a good investment."

Jade and Bruce laughed, but Jade stopped suddenly as she sensed someone else arriving, someone she'd expected to see here. "How many of them have you spotted?"

"How many of whom?"

She turned to Bruce, disbelieving. "Bruce, the League…"

"There you are, Jade. Bruce, it's so good to see you again. There's someone I'd like the two of you to meet."

"Mom, now's really not…"

"Am I saying this right? Mr. Al Ghul?"

Even without looking, Jade knew it wasn't him. The man turned and Bruce shook his head.

"You're not Ra's."

Abby frowned. "Bruce, that's not…"

"Mom, this doesn't concern you."

"Jade! I…"

"I watched Ra's die," Bruce said.

"What's going on?" Abby asked.

Jade ignored her mother. "But, is Ra's al Ghul immortal, or are his methods simply trickery and deception to conceal his true identity? Ra's is behind us, Bruce."

Bruce turned to see Ducard, dressed in a tux, a black walking stick in one hand. Bruce glanced at Jade, then back at Ducard. "We saved you," he said.

"I warned you about compassion, did I not? How long have you known, Love?"

"Ever since you told me to stand at your right hand."

"Jade, what's going on? Who is this man?"

"Mom, please. Stay out of this."

"Your quarrel is with us," Bruce told Ra's. "Let these people go."

"You are quite welcome to explain the situation to them."

Bruce studied Ra's a moment, then grabbed a drink from a passing waiter and moved into the center of the room.

"I could have given you everything you ever wanted," Ra's whispered into Jade's ear.

Ron started to say something, not pleased with closeness between Jade and Ra's, but she gave a quick shake of the head, her meaning clear. _Not yet._

"But you won't give me the only thing I do want," she said to Ra's.

"What is that?"

"The compassion you so quickly dismiss."

"Everyone," Bruce called. "Everyone!" He raised his glass and swayed, just a bit, his words a touch slurred.

"He was not drunk a minute ago," Abby said.

"I just wanted to thank you all for…drinking my booze."

There was a burst of laughter.

"No, I'm serious," Bruce continued. "The thing about being a Wayne is, you're never short of a few freeloaders to fill up your mansion. So, here's to _you_ people."

Bruce drained the glass and slammed it down on a table. An older man took his arm.

"That's enough, Bruce."

Bruce pulled away. "I'm not finished," he said, taking another glass and raising it. "To you false friends, and pathetic suck-ups who smile through your teeth at me…You've had your fill, now leave me in peace. Get out. Everyone. Out!"

People did leave, no one looking at Bruce. Abby took Jade's arm.

"Honey, let's go."

"No, Mom. This isn't like Bruce, and I'm worried. I'm going to stay."

"Then, why don't I stay, too?"

Ron was talking to Brad. Once done, the younger man stepped up to Abby.

"Ma'am, we should go."

"You have never heard of Ra's al Ghul, Bruce was drunk, and I'll be fine," Jade said, motioning to her mother to follow Brad.

"I guess you'll be fine with Ron here, even if Bruce is drunk," Abby sighed.. "Let's go, Brad."

Ra's leaned close to Jade. "How did you do that?" he whispered in her ear.

Jade smiled grimly. "I kept more than my fears to myself…"

Abby was the last one to leave. Once she and Brad were gone, there were only Ra's, his men, Bruce, Jade, and Ron. Jade wondered briefly where Alfred was, until she decided it was best he was gone.

"Very good," Ra's said, "an admirable performance. Amusing, but pointless. They won't live long; your antics at the Asylum, Bruce, have forced my hand."

"You're going to do this. You're going to destroy millions of lives," Jade said. She'd thought she had understood that, but now that she was faced with the fact…

"Only a cynic would call what these people have 'lives.'" Ra's moved into the hall, Jade and Bruce walking with him. The League members stayed where they were while Ron followed at a distance. Ra's gestured towards the city.

"The League of Shadows has been a check against corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome, loaded trade ships with plague rats, burned London to the ground. Every time a civilization reaches the height of decadence, we are there to restore the balance."

"Gotham, the world, isn't beyond saving. There are good people…"

"You are defending a city so corrupt we infiltrated every level of its infrastructure. Effortlessly." He turned to Jade, smiling broadly. "You are something special, Dearest. The children you could give me…You would make my life interesting, again. And you, Bruce, it should be you standing with us…"

His expression changed, suddenly. It was a hopeful, earnest look, and Jade understood. Ra's wanted her for a wife and, hopefully, the mother of his son. But, if there were no son, Bruce was to be heir.

"Stand with me," Ra's whispered, pleading.

"You're asking something of me I just cannot do."

Ra's turned to Jade. "Jade, take your place at my right hand as my partner, my wife…"

"I'll stay right here, thanks," she said quietly. "Between you and the people of Gotham."

His face became hard and angry. He looked past them to his men in the dining room and nodded curtly. "Proceed," he told them.

They spread out around the room, pulling lighters out of their pockets, using them to set furniture, drapes, and paintings aflame. Ron looked to Jade but she gave a slight shake of her head _Not yet._ Let the League and Ra's make the first move, as far as killing went. Ron understood and held his ground.

"Is this necessary?" Bruce asked.

"Perhaps not. But, its symbolism pleases me." The flames lit his face, were reflected, dancing, in his eyes. "There will be no misguided idealists to stand in the way. You both lack the courage to do all that is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them and stab him in the heart."

Ron let out a shout, but Jade had sensed the threat and was already in motion. She spun, kicking, knowing her foot would connect with the man's hand. It did, his sword went flying and Jade, dropping all pretenses in front of only friends and enemies, called it to her with the Force. She spun and thrust, driving the thing into his chest, a killing blow.

Bruce reacted at the same time that Ron shouted, spinning and grabbing the other ninja's throat, striking him on the back of the neck, letting him drop to the floor.

Ra's drew his sword cane and thrust at Bruce, catching him in the abdomen. Bruce twisted his arm and slapped the blade with his palm, pushing it aside.

"Perhaps you taught me too well."

"Or, perhaps, you will never learn to mind your surroundings."

A beam, weakened by fire, fell. Jade moved, tried to push Bruce out of the way, but couldn't get him far enough. The beam landed on him, trapping him. Jade bent to help.

"Come," Ra's said, grabbing her arm. "You will not die here." He turned to look back at an unconscious Bruce. "Justice is balance. You burned down my home and left me for dead. Consider us even."

He turned, stopping, his way blocked by Ron. Ron's gun was out and aimed at Ra's.

"Let her go."

"You will die bravely, protecting your charge. A shame no one will know."

Ron fired, but Jade used the Force to push him out of the way. The ninja who had struck out at Ron missed, his sword going into Ra's's arm. Ron's shot went wide, hitting Jade in the heart. She fell.

Ra's glared at Ron and, if looks could kill, the agent would have been dead on the spot. "I should kill you for that, but I'll let you live. Your knowledge that you killed the one you were supposed to protect will be punishment enough, for the little time you have left." He strode to a door and stepped outside. There were a group of his men there, waiting for his orders.

"No one comes out. Make sure."

The men split up to cover the exits. The fire was raging throughout the mansion; by the time the fire trucks came, the building would be a complete loss. As would those inside.

"We would have been magnificent together," Ra's said, with genuine sorrow. He'd been ready to welcome Bruce as a son, had already imagined a life with Jade.

He shook off sentimentality and turned to the SWAT van parked nearby, the one that held the microwave emitter. There was work to be done. He would mourn his wayward students after his mission was complete.

Inside the mansion, Ron had regained his feet and made his way over to Bruce. He wanted to go to Jade, but better to help the living, first. His vision was blurry with tears, from heat and smoke or sorrow, he didn't stop to care. He tried to move the beam, but wasn't having an easy time; he was strong, but the thing was heavy.

He decided to give it one more go and lifted. Suddenly, it seemed there was someone helping him; the beam didn't feel as heavy. When he looked, though, there was no one there.

"Mr. Wayne, are you all right?"

"Call me Bruce…Jade! Where's Jade?"

"Here. Aren't you going to thank me for the help, Ron?"

Ron spun. Jade was getting to her feet, blood evident on the front of her dress, but it looked like it was old, and no longer flowing.

"How the hell…?"

"I really need to work on blocking faster," she said, holding up a bullet. "I stopped it in time, though; it didn't get very far."

"If I may be so bold as to suggest we get to a safe place?"

"Alfred!"

"Miss Dawes is home, safe, which is more than can be said for you, Master Wayne," Alfred said dryly.

"Where should we go? Ra's will have left men outside…"

"Follow me."

Alfred supported an aching Bruce, while Ron followed, a hand resting against Jade's back. They went into a parlor, where Alfred played three notes on a piano. A false wall opened up and he led everyone inside, onto an elevator. The door closed behind them and the elevator started down.

"You went as a Jedi that Halloween," Bruce accused.

"Guilty as charged. I healed myself; the wound wasn't that bad," she told Ron.

"Good…Shit!"

The fire had reached the parlor and a fireball had shot into the shaft. The elevator's mechanism burned, the chains breaking, and the thing plummeted down. Jade closed her eyes, concentration on her face, and the thing slowed just an instant before it hit. While they landed with quite the jolt, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Bruce collapsed, despair etched into his features.

"What have I done, Alfred? Everything my family, my father, built…"

Ron led Jade off the elevator and into the cavern they'd found themselves in. "We don't need to hear that," he explained. "Are you going after Ra's?"

"I want to, but I need to be with my family. I don't know, yet."

Ron took off his suit jacket and put it over her shoulders. "You don't want anyone to see the blood."

Jade shrugged her arms into the sleeves. "Thanks," she said as he buttoned the thing up.

He put his hands on her shoulders, his control breaking once more. "I thought you were dead, that I'd killed you…"

Jade leaned into him. It was all too obvious to her that his pain wasn't entirely professional, something she was oddly grateful for. "You didn't, though. Focus on that."

Ron put his arms around her, reveling in the fact that she was alive, breathing, her heart beating against his chest.

"Are you coming with me?"

It was Bruce's voice but, at the same time, it wasn't. Jade smiled, knowing she was hearing Batman, and reluctantly pulled away from Ron.

"Can you take Ra's on your own?"

Bruce nodded. "I'll do what I have to."

"Then, no. Ron and I need to get back to the hotel and help out there. We're the only ones who know what's going on. Bruce, they'll take the emitter on the monorail."

"The tracks run over the water mains, I know. Give me a minute to change, then I'll drop you off. The hotel's on the way to the Narrows. Alfred, I kept two doses of the antidote here, let Ron and Jade have them. They'll need it."


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Wow, all this time, and I didn't realize I hadn't put this chapter up. Hope it clears up a few things.

**Chapter 6**

Ron and Jade had gotten into the hotel without being seen and were now in the security room, looking at feed from the hallways that housed the rooms of the world leaders.

"Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes…They're all League men."

"The question is, what's their plan?"

"My guess? When the shit hits the fan, they're going to rush in because of the threat, and attack in the confusion."

"What do we do?"

"Everyone who was here today is good."

"I'll call them in from your father's suite…"

"Make it somewhere else. I can watch my dad."

"Ma'am…"

She smiled. "Ra's can't even beat me. I can take two of his men."

Ron started to protest again, then paused, thinking. Was his concern valid, or was it personal, a result of almost losing her, earlier? He decided it was the latter and nodded curtly.

"All right. Just, let me get you there."

"No, you have too much to do. I'll go back to my suite and change, then go to my dad. I'll be fine, Ron. I won't be seen on my way there, and I've got the feeling it'll happen soon. They may or may not use swords but, if they do, having a gun will _not_ give you the advantage. And, tell everyone to keep the windows closed, at all costs. I can't tell you how powerful that stuff was and, if it's been weaponized…"

"I'll remember, Ma'am."

Jade started out the door, but Ron's voice called her back.

"Jade."

She turned, startled. It was the first time he'd ever used the name and, the way he said it told her how good a friend he considered her.

"Be careful," he told her.

"You, too, Ron. I'd like to have coffee with you again, once this is over."

Jade went back to her rooms and changed into her ninja outfit, then put on the mask, stuck the sword in her belt, and left for her father's room. It wasn't far and the lights in the halls were dimmed in deference to the late hour, allowing her to hide in the shadows.

Just as she got to her father's suite, it happened. The two "agents" outside the door rushed into the room, speaking as they did.

"Sir, there's a threat. It's started in a section of town called the Narrows, but it's moving closer."

Jade used the Force to slam the door open before they could lock it.

"Oh, yes, it's close. And, you've found it," She said, sword in hand. "The only question is, are you going to use guns, or the preferred weapons of the League?"

They didn't speak but rushed her, drawing swords. She parried one and dodged the other. He turned and rushed again, but she was ready. She stabbed, a killing blow.

"Ra's can't even defeat me, what chance do you have?"

The man feinted left, then attacked right. Jade wasn't fooled, though, and drove her sword into the opening in yet one more killing blow.

Two agents rushed in, guns drawn. Jade dropped the sword and spread her arms, putting her hands in plain sight.

"Sir? Are you all right?"

"Thanks to her," Jed told them. "They were the ones who attacked."

"Once I'm gone, lock the doors," Jade told the agents. "Do not, under any circumstances, open the windows."

"Who are you?"

"What did Ron tell you to do?"

They glanced at each other. "Not to open the windows."

"Then, apparently, I'm someone who know what she's talking about," she said, calling the sword back to her and leaving the room.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was a long night for Jade as she made her way through the hotel, helping agents from a number of countries. She saw quite a few agents dead, but most of them had taken a ninja or two with them. Word quickly spread and, when she arrived on a scene, she was welcomed by the bodyguards.

It was late when all was said and done but, as far as she could tell, none of the world leaders had been killed. Jade wiped down the sword and left it where it was, returning to her room.

Once there, she took off her bloody clothes, gathered them into a garbage bag, and quickly showered. Then, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed. It was answered before it had barely rung.

"Are you all right, Ma'am?"

"I'm fine, Ron. You?"

"Fine. Just a minute."

There was a pause, then another voice came on the line. "Honey?"

"I'm fine, Dad."

"You weren't hurt?"

"No, Daddy. You?"

"No. Ron's telling me I've got to go. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay."

Jade set the phone down on the table next to the chair she was in. She was going to get up and go to bed in just a minute…

Jade woke up just as she was being put into bed. She smiled, knowing who was there.

"You could have just left me there."

Batman settled into a patch of shadow. "You looked uncomfortable. It's over."

"Is it?"

Batman proceeded to tell her the whole story. How the inmates had been released from the asylum, how the entire police department had gone over to the Narrows, how Ra's had started things off there. How a sergeant who wasn't corrupt, or a member of the League, had taken the "Batmobile" and destroyed the last strut holding up the tracks, how the train, with Ra's and the emitter on it, had crashed.

"Yes," he concluded. "It's over. Ra's is dead."

"No, he's not."

Batman frowned. "There's no way he could have survived."

"Maybe he really is immortal, then. But, trust me, Bats, he's not dead."

"I'll keep watch, then. I've found a bit of information on him…"

"Copy it and give it to me. It would be good to have a backup."

"Have lunch with me, tomorrow and I'll give you the copies, then. We need to discuss the future of Wayne Enterprises, anyhow. I should go; Alfred will be worried."

Jade smiled. "He's a good man. Do you have a place to stay?"

"The fire didn't reach the guest house. We'll be there for the time being, at least."

"Good." Jade yawned.

Batman smiled. "Get back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"That's the best idea you've had yet." She settled back into bed and was asleep before Batman left.

In the morning, Jade had breakfast with Ron. Her father had been with them briefly, but Ron had convinced the President to pack instead, since they were returning to Washington as soon as possible. In reality, he wanted to hear the whole story. He knew he wouldn't get a chance to see Batman, and likely wouldn't see Bruce, either, but Ron had an idea that Jade had already talked to one or the other, and knew what had happened.

"…and the train Ra's and the emitter were on crashed into the basement of Wayne Towers," Jade said, finishing her update.

Ron shook his head. "Well, at least he's dead."

"Sorry to disappoint, but, no, he's not."

Ron sighed. "Damn. We'll pay attention. Any information would help."

"Bruce is going to be giving me copies of information he found. I'll make more copies and pass them on, along with any notes I can make. The more people who have the information, the less likely Ra's will be able to erase all traces. Ron, do we know how many were killed, last night?"

"No, Ma'am, we're still sorting through the bodies. None of the world leaders were, however. As for the populace of Gotham, we haven't gotten any information from Gotham Police Department."

"Batman explained that, last night. The entire GCPD was in the Narrows when it happened. Arkham Asylum was emptied by members of the League, and many of those had infiltrated the police. The department's been decimated; it's going to be quite a while before we know the true cost. I'm sorry about the agents you lost."

"Thank you. We're still looking for the woman who helped us last night."

Jade snorted. "I'm sure you are," she said dryly. "Anything else?"

"Well, you'll be happy to know, Ma'am, that your designation has changed."

Jade nodded, pleased. "Good. 'Princess' was way too annoying. What is it now?"

"Jedi."

Her eyes widened. "Ron…"

He smiled. "We are looking for that woman. Just, not very hard."

Jade laughed. "Thank you. Tell your men, for me."

"Yes, Ma'am. Your father's packing now, as are the other world leaders. The G8 has been cancelled until further notice. Air Force One will be wheels up at eight-thirty AM, sharp. We are not waiting for anyone, so, if you want a ride…"

"No, I'm having lunch with Bruce. We need to discuss the future of Wayne Enterprises. I'll stay for a few days, until we've settled everything we need to. Anything you'd like to see done with the company?"

Ron smiled. "I'll leave the details to you and Bruce, Ma'am."

"All right, then. Are you going to be staying with me?"

"No. There's going to be a lot of paperwork to do and reports to make." He smiled wryly. "Too much for me to delegate."

Jade laughed. Ron was known for passing off paperwork to anyone and everyone else. "Yeah, I'm sure there will be. I'll see you when I get back to DC, then."

"I'll assign someone to you, for the rest of your stay."


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Are you going to rebuild?" Jade asked.

They were in Bruce's limo, on their way to the airport. Jade was going back, after having seen Lucius instated as CEO and the military contracts terminated.

"Yes. Exactly the way it was."

She smiled. "Good. Thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome." The car phone rang. Bruce answered it, putting it on speaker, so both he and Jade could participate. "Wayne."

Earle's voice came over the phone. "What on earth makes you think you have the authority to decide who runs this company, Bruce?"

"The fact that Jade Bartlet and I are the owners?"

"What are you talking about? Wayne Enterprises went public weeks ago."

"And we bought most of the shares," Jade said. "Through various charitable foundations, trusts, and so forth. Look, Mr. Earle, it's all a bit technical."

"But," Bruce interjected, "the important thing is, Ms Bartlet's and my company's future is secure. Right, Mr. Fox?"

"Right you are, Mr. Wayne," Lucius said. "And, Mr. Earle, you learned a valuable lesson."

"What is that?" Earle snapped.

"Never speak down to a woman about stocks and money," Jade said loftily. "Especially when said woman's father is a Nobel Prize winning economist. Good day, Mr. Earle."

Bruce hung up the phone. "That was fun."

"It was. Keep me in touch about Ra's."

"I will. You, too."

Once at the airport, Jade and Alex, her agent while she'd stayed in Gotham, got on the plane Bruce had chartered for them. Once the plane was in the air and they had drinks, she settled in with the information on Ra's that Bruce had given her. It was interesting reading. The original Ra's had started out as a physician, who had developed a sort of pool that revived and healed even the deadliest of wounds. Jade shivered. This was why Ra's wasn't dead. Apparently, someone knew about it and had found Ra's, then took him to this pool…She read the information again. It seemed that there was a period of madness after immersion. Ducard would never be the same. Jade heaved a sigh.

"Ma'am? Are you all right?"

She examined her feelings for Ducard, then let them move out of her. "I'm fine, Alex. Just mourning the death of someone I loved," she said quietly. "Just saying good bye."


End file.
